Maintaining My Home

consult a registered architect, licensed building practitioner or chartered professional engineer to inspect and advise on possible repairs

structural work on a building is restricted building work. If you engage a builder, the work must be carried out or supervised by a licensed building practitioner (LBP). You can ask to see the photo licence card of a licensed practitioner

homeowners are legally able to carry out restricted building work on their own homes, but they need to complete a statutory declaration with the local council. The fact that they have done this work themselves will be noted on council records and will be accessible by potential future buyers of the house. You should only carry out this sort of work if you have the skills, knowledge, experience and tools to properly do the job

the job will involve removing the window, replacing the existing sagging lintel with a lintel that provides the required level of support and then replacing the window. The requirements for lintels are found in Section 8.6 of the standard NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings.

structural work such as this is likely to require a building consent. Contact your local council for details. Any renovation work that requires a building consent will have to comply with the Building Code. Even if building work does not require a building consent, after the work is completed, the building must still comply with the Building Code to at least the same extent as it did before the work was done